Nasal inhaler



Sept. 16 1 M. A. LASSEAU X NASAL INHALER Filed Nov. 26 1925 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

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MAROEL ANDRE LASSEAUX, or PARIS, FRANCE.

NASAL INHALER.

Application filed November 26, .1923. Serial -No.f6-7fi,895.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARGEL ANDRE LAS-.

sEAUX,,a citizen of the Republic of France, of 136 Rue de 'la Tour dAuvergne, Paris, France, have invented Improvements in Nasal Inhalers, of which the following is a fulL'clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in inhalers and more particularly to a nasal inhaler comprising a resilient clip adapted to embrace the median wall of the nose and carrying at its ends cups containing the medicine to be volatilized.

The improvements forming the subjectmatter of the present invention are adapted to render the-apparatus more hygienic, efficient and durable. V In L'fact, in the apparatus heretofore used, themniateria'l :for absorbing the liquid medicine usually consisted of felt, cotton'or other combustible material and the clip itself was usually cut out from a sheet of celluloid. The result of such construction was that it was absolutely impossible to sterilize the ap paratus by the only e flic ient method, that is to say, by passing it through a flame or by immersing it in boiling water.

Besides, in existing apparatus, the circulation of airv in the apparatus is very imperfect owing to the fact that such apparatus is provided with parts disposed transversely to the air passages, so that the evaporation of the medicine can take place only on a very small surface, thus considerahly diminishing the efficiency of the apparatus.

Moreover, the felt, cotton or like discs are solid and the covers are perforated only with small holes, so that the passage of the air is very limited and the evaporation surface is quite insuflicient.

In order to remedy these disadvantages, the nasal inhaler forming the subject-matter of the present invention comprises a clip of noncombustible material having cupsv at its ends and the discs or pads cons ist of a porous body mainly composed of asbestos, silica, kaolin pumice stone, etc., which can, without harmful result, he passed through a flame or iminersedin boiling water. i

On-the other hand, the .cups are entirely open at their lower and upper parts and the discs or pads-contained'therein are provided with longitudinal grooves .on the faces oppos te the covers, and if desired, on the opposlte faces, these grooves increasing the surface of evaporation and permitting free passage of the air. V f' l In order to. render the :action of these grooves effective, the covers of the cups are so connected to the bottoms that they will not create any obstacle to the circulation of the air and thus avoid danger of the discs or pads falling into the nasal cavities. The covers are adapted .to fit on or within the cups and may he secured thereto by fastening elements suchas pro- ]6Ci3lO11S and corresponding recesses, beading by hand or by machine, orthe connection may be .made by means ofhinges or )OlIltS arranged 'sidewise, parallel to theair stream, so that the latter ,passesabundantly on the evaporation surface rendering the inhaler much more efficient. .Besides, the covers are provided with slotsfopposite, the grooves for further facilitating the passage of the air-and particularly .for permitting easy andefiicient ,cleaning of the discs, for instance by brushing.

Finally, for increasing-the rigidity and resiliencykof the clip iitse'lf, it is provided with a rib. The additional resiliency thus obtained moreover, provides means for holding the inhaler in position, either by pressing on the median wall of the nose, or on the external walls of the nostrils.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it is illustrated, but byway of example only, in the accompanying drawing in which: i

Fig. '1 is a front view of the inhalerp Fig. 2 is a side view and Fig. 3 a plan view.

Fig. a is a section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing one of the cups disassembled.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modified construction of cup.

Fig.7 is a side'view of the cup'shown' in Fig. 6. I

Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section :taken-onthe line 99'of Fig. "6. i

Fig. 10 lis a view similar to Fig. '9, but illustrating a further modification.

As shown in the drawing, thenew apparatus comprises two similar cups a integral with a bent cross member Z) forming a clip and provided with a reinforcing rib 0 the cups are provided with side walls or flanges d suitably curved.

The two cups and the cross member can be obtained by cutting out and stamping a thin metal sheet.

On the cups fit covers 7, of corresponding shape, provided with side flanges g having the same curvature as that of the flanges d of the cups and which fit on the said flanges d.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, the flanges g are provided with small tenons or projections 71, which fit into holes 6 formed in the flanges d and thus hold the covers in position.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, the flanges g of each cover fit on the flanges (Z of the respective cups and are retained thereon by beading formed on the flanges g.

The covers might also, as shown in Fig. 10, fit within the flanges (Z of the cups, said flanges (Z being bent over on the front face of the covers.

These methods of securing the. covers are given by way of example only, as the covers may have the shape of small plates and slide in suitable grooves formed in the cups.

Whatever may be the method of connecting the covers and cups a, the covers are so shaped as to leave, between their inner face and the outer face of the discs 2', a certain space 7, through which the air abundantly enters into the nostrils and comes in contact, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 8 to 10, with the entire surface of the said discs 2', so that its saturation by the medicinal vapors is complete.

In the boxes thus constructed, which are freely open at top and bottom are placed discs formed of blocks of non-combustible porous material, made of asbestos, silica, kaolin, pumice stone, etc. They have the same shape as the boxes and are provided with longitudinal channels or grooves either on only one face, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9, or on both faces, as shown in Fig. 10.

apposite the channels or grooves of the outer face of each disc, the covers f are provided with elongated openings 76.

For using the apparatus, the cups are first passed through a fiame, so as to sterilize them, after which the discs i saturated with the liquid medicine to be inhaled are inserted into said cups.

When a solid medicine is to be employed, discs formed of the medicine itself and having a shape similar to that of the discs 71 are preferably inserted in the place of the said discs 71.

The inhaler is then placed in the nose and is retained therein by the resilient clamping of the median wall of the nose by the clip. This clamping pressure can be suitably adjusted so as not to inconvenience the patient, which adjustment may be effected without injury to the solidity of the apparatus owing to the presence of the rib c.

When, owing to a bad conformation of the nose or for any other reason, it is not possible to hold the inhaler in this manner, it will be sufficient to bend the branches of the clip from their position of equilibrium and to resiliently compress them for introducing them into the nostrils, whereupon the inhaler will be held by wedging itself against the external walls of the nostrils. In such cases it is preferable that the bottoms of the cups should be provided with slot-s and that the covers should be solid, the discs then being reversed in position.

The circulation of the air takes place very abundantly through the flutes or grooves ensuring an efiicient vaporization.

It is obvious that the forms of the ap paratus can be modified as desired, provided however they do not present any projection capable of injuring the nasal mucous membrane and that the cups should not be sufficiently large to prevent breathing. The apparatus can also be made of any material provided it is not combustible, is sufficiently resilient and not subject to oxidation or injury by the medicines used.

However, aluminum will preferably be used, as it possesses the above characteristics and the additional advantage of very light weight and of being a very good conductor of heat, thus increasing the vaporization of the medicine, although this increase is not particularly necessary, owing to the proper circulation of air obtained.

The cleaning can be effected as frequently as desired and very easily by means of a brush the hairs of which enter the open ings 7c and grooves The above described structures are given by way of exampl only; the forms, dimensions, materials used and all details of construction may be varied according to circumstances without departing thereby from the principle of the invention.

I claim:

A nasal inhaler comprising a clip made of resilient metal adapted to embrace the median wall of the nose, a reinforcing rib on this clip,--two cups with convex edges, open at their lower and upper parts and formed on the two ends of the olip,-two noncombustible discs impregnated with volatilizable medicine, having the same shape as that of the cups and fitting in the latter,two covers with convex or bulged edges, closing the cups, said covers leaving the cups open at their base and at their top part and providing a certain interval between their inner face and the outer face of the discs,-1neans for securing these covers,longitudina1 grooves or flutes in the discs for increasing the surface of evaporation of the discs and facilitating the passage of the air,and longitudinal openings in the covers for permitting the easy passage of the air and the cleaning of the discs.

"The foregoing specification of my Improvements in Nasal Inhalers, signed by me this 16th day of November, 1923.

MARCEL ANDRE LASSEAUX. 

